- By John Cunningham
- Published 07/13/2010
- Writing
News releases, popularly called press releases or media releases, are communications sent to the press or media to make known a certain product or service, announce any information from a particular group or organization, or draw attention to anything with news value. With various companies claiming to provide the best press release service, how do you choose the right one? Finding a company who really delivers- possesses the know-how and experience of catering to various press release needs- can be an overwhelming task. To ensure that you will invariably make the right choice, make a list of possible companies to choose from and ask for samples from each. Here is a list of things you need to look for in a news release sample before deciding which will be right for you: 1) Short and concise. Although people would want to obtain as much information as possible, time is always an issue. Therefore, news releases that contain as much information while being less wordy is what you need. Also because many charge on a per word basis, you have to make every word you have paid for, count. Here is simple computation to follow: count the number of information provided about the product or service, count the number words in the press release, divide the first from the second, and multiply the quotient by one hundred; the resulting number is the percentage of information. The higher the percentage, the better.
2) Organize. Make your news release flow. Te
ll a story. Focus on achieving order to your story. People appreciate a well-organized release that answers as much questions as possible. 3) Unique angle. Find a story which is not only informational but appeals to the human element as well. People look for something with just the right of emotional touch to it. An example is focusing on the humanitarian side of a featured company. However, be careful about exaggerated stories which sound superficial. Look for articles that have introductions that feed the curiosity of men. A point in case is asking a question on the probability of an event which will encourage the audience to read on to find out the answer to such question. 4) No sales pitches. Resist the urge to sell. A good press release will provide the audience with much information about the product or service which will be useful to them and which will be invaluable to their everyday life. Focus on the features of the product or service by pointing facts. Some readers appreciate those which also give the limitations because of the honesty of such move. 5) Feature every aspect. Don’t just feature the product or service but talk about the company or organizations offering such products and services. When people know the history and background of something, this will build the reliability of such company. If possible focus on other products or services which have already been tested. This lets the readers know that the group can indeed be trusted.
The more characteristics present in a sample, the better. Read as many samples as possible for you to make a sound decision.
